Ruby Plains Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | before 1900 |
| Headquarters | Halls Creek , Australia |
Area served | Kimberley, Western Australia |
Ruby Plains Station is a pastoral lease operating as a cattle station located roughly south of Halls Creek within the Kimberley area of Western Australia. Positioned along the Tanami Track, it functions as an important stopover on the Canning Stock Route.
Together, Ruby Plains and the Sturt Creek Outstation encompass an area of approximately , with Sturt Creek itself covering .
History
Ruby Plains was established prior to 1900 and was under the ownership of Messrs Cahill and Button by that year. Button uncovered gold nuggets near the homestead, estimated to be worth around £100. By 1901, the station was managing a cattle herd numbering about 700.
The locale experiences a tropical climate characterized by heavy monsoon rains; for instance, in March 1904, nearly of rainfall was recorded within a 45-minute period.
In 1931, during water drilling activities, Shellie and Hansen found gold at an approximate depth of . They later lodged a claim in Halls Creek following this discovery.
In 2008, Ruby Plains was offered for sale but failed to meet expectations at auction, fetching A$38 million, which was below S. Kidman & Co.'s anticipated valuation of A$44 million.
James Darcy
James "Jimmy" Darcy worked as a stockman at Ruby Plains and in 1917 sustained a critical injury after falling from his horse while mustering cattle. He was transported by buggy over a 12-hour journey to Halls Creek, which lacked medical services at the time. The local postmaster, Mr Tuckett, sent a telegraph to Perth seeking medical guidance. Under the remote direction of Dr Holland, a seven-hour surgical procedure was carried out without proper tools or anaesthesia. Despite these efforts, Darcy passed away before Dr Holland could arrive. This event motivated John Flynn to create the Royal Flying Doctor Service, marking a pivotal development in providing medical care to remote Australian regions.